Chapter 103 James
James
“Why is she turning?” Taryn shouted. “Why isn’t she ramming them?”
James didn’t know. But whatever the reason, Ahnna had made the decision too late. While the blow wasn’t direct, her ship still scraped alongside the Victoria, the sound of crunching timber loud as the vessels slid past each other.
As the ships parted, the Victoria seemed seaworthy, but Ahnna’s vessel gave a mighty groan and began to sink, bow first.
“Go!” he shouted. “Hurry!”
Arrows flew down around them as they wove between ships, most striking water but two finding flesh. Yet the Ithicanians sailed on, teeth clenched against the pain of their injuries as they raced to save those on the sinking ship.
They came alongside it, and James searched the deck for Ahnna’s face, not finding her among the Ithicanians aboard.
Screams of those trapped in the ship filtered through the hull, and as he watched, an older woman he recognized as one of Aren’s commanders unlatched the hatch before sprinting to join her fellows.
With ease, they leapt down onto the craft, though it sank deep beneath the weight of so many people.
“Mara!” Taryn said to the woman. “What’s going on?”
“Where is Ahnna?” James couldn’t keep the panic from his voice, because she’d been on the ship moments before. “Where is she?”
“On the Victoria,” Mara replied, pointing. “We were going to sink it, but Lestara has the baby. She’s using her own child as a shield. Ahnna went after her.”
Alone. She’d gone alone onto a ship full of soldiers who wanted her dead.
“We need to go!” one of the Ithicanians shouted. “She’s going down!”
Going down, and all those who had been trapped in the hold were trying to escape. Lifting longboats and hurling them into the water, many men falling in, and below, James could see the flash of gray fins.
But on the other side of the sinking ship was the Victoria.
And his wife.
James jumped, catching hold of the rail of the ship, then dragging himself up the tilted deck toward the stern.
It was rising higher and higher, barrels and ropes and stars knew what else sliding down, some of it striking him, but James didn’t stop.
He made it to the back of the ship as the bow dipped fully underwater, the ship bobbing like a top and then beginning to sink.
From this vantage, he saw that a fleet flying Cardiff’s colors was sailing in from the north, the flagship moving away from the rest. But his uncle’s arrival didn’t matter—Lestara didn’t need her father to win this.
What mattered was that James could see Ahnna on her knees, restrained by fucking Archie, while Lestara gestured toward Ornak.
Getting his footing on the slick wood, James broke into a sprint and leapt off the side of the stern, landing hard on the Victoria’s deck. He rolled, then came to his feet with no less than three arrows leveled at his face.
“James!” Ahnna’s voice filled his ears, and it was like music, because he hadn’t thought he’d hear it again.
“Hello, cousin.” Lestara looked at him as though he were vermin. “I wish I could say this was a pleasant surprise.” Raising her voice, she said, “Seize Prince James. He’s a traitor and will be dealt with once we’ve won the day.”
“Don’t count your victories so soon, Lestara,” James snapped as hands shoved him to the deck. “A united fleet of Maridrinian and Valcottan ships has arrived. I suspect we’ll see smoke rising in the south soon enough.”
Lestara’s cheeks blanched. “That’s not possible.”
“And yet there they are.” He jerked out of a soldier’s grasp and glared at him before adding, “What do you think the chances are that they’ve discovered Alexandra was behind the infected cattle and worsening famine?”
His cousin’s lips parted ever so slightly in shock, and James scoffed. “What? Alex didn’t tell you?”
“I know nothing about this.” Lestara roughly jiggled the crying baby in her arms, then looked around at the stunned soldiers. “He’s lying.”
“You can plead innocence as they chase Harendell’s fleet north,” James replied. “I can only imagine Empress Zarrah and her consort have joined their fleet, and we all know what they think of you. What is it they call you in Maridrina? Butcher of Babies? Queen of Carrion?”
“Gag him!” she shouted. “I am the queen mother and you will not allow this traitor to speak to me so!”
Calling Lestara a mother was the worst abuse he’d ever heard of the word. She held the baby with as much affection as a block of wood, his nephew nothing more than a tool she’d use to hold power.
“She murdered William,” he shouted. “Lestara was the poisoner! You’ve allowed her to lead you into this nightmare of a battle, and for what?”
“For the bridge!” Lestara shrieked at him. “My son, the king of Harendell, will be Master of the Bridge, and all its wealth will belong to Harendell! That is why we are fighting! Every one of you will be wealthy as a king!”
James gave a bitter laugh. “Is that what you think?” He jerked his chin south.
“You think that Maridrina and Valcotta brought warships to negotiate trade? The only thing they came for is retribution. Lestara promises you the wealth of kings, but she will make you bleed like pawns. There is no victory to be had here!”
The men around them shifted uneasily, because this had become a harder fight than they’d bargained for.
“He’s a liar and a traitor,” Lestara shouted. “He’s fallen prey to this Ithicanian snake.” She kicked at Ahnna, nearly losing her brocade slipper and stumbling. “He’s betrayed his kingdom and family to do her bidding! Do not listen to him!”
James’s lips parted to retort, but Archie kicked him in the mouth. “Gag him!”
Dirty fabric was shoved inside James’s mouth and his wrists were bound, as were Ahnna’s, but if James could have smiled, he would’ve, because nearly every sailor aboard was staring south where the fleets were colliding.
“Your Grace, the Cardiffian flagship is coming alongside,” a lookout shouted. “They’re asking permission to board.”
Lestara smirked. “Granted. Hopefully he’s coming to beg my forgiveness for his tardiness.”
James watched Ronan’s ship come alongside the Victoria, the vessel not nearly as tall, though that proved no problem for his uncle, who climbed into the rigging and jumped aboard. His feet made a loud thump as he landed. “Daughter.”
James’s skin prickled at the tone of his voice, but Lestara didn’t seem to notice.
“You’re late, Father.”
“Late would imply the battle is over, but I see Ithicana yet holds strong against you.”
Lestara scoffed. “Hardly. What you are seeing is the arrival of the Maridrinians and Valcottans. Likely stirred up by some grandiose speech Keris has given, because he’s far too good at convincing people to die for him. Which, with your arrival, they surely will. Victory will be ours.”
Unless Keris used some form of magic, the prince consort had nothing to do with that fleet’s arrival, but James didn’t try to speak. He didn’t need to, given the amusement on Ronan’s face.
“Can’t blame Keris Veliant for all your struggles, girl.
It seems you and yours have suffered mightily against naught but an island defended by a handful of soldiers, and I think that’s to do with your leadership of this battle.
You know nothing about war.” He gave a cold chuckle.
“Though I see you brought yourself a shield.”
“Do not call me girl.” Lestara’s knuckles whitened where she held the baby against her chest. “I will accept your advice, but I am leading this battle, Father.”
“Oh, of course!” Ronan rocked on his heels. “Well, let’s have at it, then. Carry on with your speech.”
Lestara cleared her throat, then smoothed her skirts with one hand. “My brave and loyal soldiers, we would have won this handily on our own, but our ally Cardiff has arrived.”
The sailors and soldiers didn’t seem to be paying attention to her, their eyes all fixed south, but Lestara only shouted louder, as though volume would make a difference.
“My father, King Ronan, has our backs, and together we will show every nation, north and south, that Harendell will not be made a victim. We will rule, and beneath King Oliver, a golden era will dawn!”
“That last bit is true enough, given your mother saw it in the stars,” Ronan said. “Cardiff sailed for King Oliver. A new alliance has been negotiated, but it is not with you.”
To James’s amazement, the Cardiffians lifted Virginia onto the deck of the Victoria. Hazel was with her, one hand steadying his sister’s elbow as she walked across the deck, and Theryn and Waynne walked behind them, hands resting on their weapons.
“Lestara, give me my nephew!” Virginia demanded. “A baby has no place on a battlefield.”
“I will do no such thing.” Lestara stepped away from him, tripping on her skirt. “What is Virginia doing here? What is going on?”
“What’s going on is that Keris left me his dog as a gift,” Ginny snarled. “Good girl that she is, Fiona found gloves hidden under your bed that were covered with poison. The same poison that killed William.”
Lestara’s eyes bulged. “That is a lie.”
“I’d tell you to burn the evidence next time, but there isn’t going to be a next time.” Virginia’s lip curled with derision. “There are no men left for you to work your particular form of power on.” Her head tilted. “Archie, I suggest you sit this one out.”
The man in question was busy trying to look invisible, and he twitched in alarm when his name was called. James had no doubt that Virginia had endless proof of his treason given that Theryn was watching him with hard eyes.
Expressions on the deck were hardening, because his sister was beloved. But above that, his sister was Harendellian, and for better or worse, that mattered.
Lestara saw the shift, and her voice had a desperate edge as she said, “Virginia is trying to frame me to take power! That’s all this is!”